294 LAKE SUPERIOR. 



LUCIOPERCA AMERICANA, Cuv. et Val. 



LUCIOPERCA AMERICANA Cuv. et Vol. H. N. Poiss. II., 122, PI. 

 16. - - Richards. Fn. Bor. Amer. III., 10. Delcay N. Y. Fauna, 

 p. 17. PL 50, f. \bZ.--Kirtl. Rep. Zool. Ohio, p. 190. 

 Bost. Journ. N. H. IV., 237, PI. 9, f. 2.- - Thomps. N. H. 

 Verm. 1842, 130 bg. Storer Synops. 1846, p. 24. ' 



This fish has about the same geographical distribution as the 

 Perca flavescens northward, but it does not extend so far south. It 

 occurs however in all the great Canadian lakes, and throughout the 

 State of New York and parts of Ohio. It remains still to be 

 ascertained, whether the Okow or Hornfish* belongs or not to the 

 same species. 



I do not believe that the L. canadensis of Hamilton Smith is 

 even specifically distinct from the L. americana, though its author 

 is disposed to view it as a new generic type, because of the pres- 

 ence of five spines on the margin of the operculum, and of the 

 absence of denticulations on the bones of this apparatus. I am 

 satisfied that these opercular spines lose much of their value in this 

 genus. Indeed in two specimens of L. americana which I pro- 

 cured about Lake Superior, I have seen that one of them had 

 two small points on the hinder margin of the operculum of the left 

 side only, whilst there was no trace on the right side. The hinder 

 point of the operculum was itself very acute and resembled a third 

 spine a little more robust than the two others. The specimen 

 measured thirteen inches. In a specimen from Lake Michigan, 

 twenty-two inches long, for which I am indebted to Samuel C. 

 Clarke, Esq., of Chicago, the operculum of the left side has equally 

 two spines on its hinder margin, and two very near each other on 

 its upper angle. On the right side there is a single spine observa- 

 ble, but more robust, though very short like the others, and on the 

 upper angle two of equal development. 



As for the other bones of the opercular apparatus, the following 

 is what we have observed in other specimens from Lake Superior, as 



* Richards. Fn. Bor. Amer. III., 14. 



